This post contains affiliate links.
Key Takeaways
- Complete free curricula exist for all eight required Kentucky subjects
- Easy Peasy, Khan Academy, and open-source materials can form a complete core curriculum
- Kentucky libraries, universities, and museums offer extensive free resources
- Supplementary materials are widely available at no cost
- Free options require more parental organization but dramatically reduce overall homeschool costs
Complete Free Curricula Options
Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool
Easy Peasy is the gold standard for free homeschoolers. It’s a complete, online-based curriculum covering all core subjects K-12.
What’s Included:
- Daily lessons in all core subjects
- Video-based instruction
- Reading assignments
- Math with auto-grading
- Science and social studies
- Language arts
Cost: Completely free (premium paid options available at $60/year for transcripts and grading support)
How to access: easypeasyallinone.com
Best for: Families comfortable with screen-based learning and organized self-directed structure
Kentucky considerations: Easy Peasy covers required subjects but you’ll supplement Kentucky history and civics locally.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy is a free, comprehensive video-based learning platform covering mathematics, science, and some humanities.
What’s Included:
- Extensive math (grades K-12 and beyond)
- Science (biology, chemistry, physics, earth science)
- Some humanities content
- Video lessons with built-in practice
Cost: Free
How to access: khanacademy.org
Best for: Supplementing math and science; excellent for students who learn better through video explanation
Strong points: Videos are clear and repeatable; students can review concepts unlimited times; non-judgmental practice environment
Free Resources by Subject
Reading & Language Arts
Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org)
- Over 70,000 free, public-domain books
- Perfect for building a literature-based curriculum
- Many classics used in homeschools nationwide
LibriVox (librivox.org)
- Free audiobooks, all public domain
- Excellent for read-alongs and auditory learners
- Covers literature, history, and more
Open Library (openlibrary.org)
- Free digital lending library
- Borrow ebooks and audiobooks legally
- Extensive fiction and non-fiction
IXL Learning (free version)
- Limited free practice in grammar, spelling, phonics
- Good supplement to core curriculum
Mathematics
Khan Academy
- Complete K-12 math instruction
- Video lessons + practice problems
- Tracks progress
Open-source math textbooks
- CK-12 Flexbooks (ck12.org)
- Free, editable math textbooks K-12
- Can download and customize
AoPS Academy (Free tier)
- Free basics in problem-solving math
- Excellent for students exceeding grade-level math
Science
Khan Academy Science
- Biology, chemistry, physics, earth science
- Video lessons covering all topics
- Practice problems included
PBS Learning Media (pbslearningmedia.org)
- Free science videos and lessons
- Aligned with standards
- High-quality production
Crash Course Kids (YouTube)
- Engaging science videos for elementary
- Free on YouTube
- Covers earth science, life science, physical science
National Geographic Kids (kids.nationalgeographic.com)
- Free articles, videos, and activities
- Science-focused content
- Excellent supplementary resource
Social Studies & History
Khan Academy
- US history, world history, civics
- Video-based lessons
- Good for foundational understanding
iCivics (icivics.org)
- Free civics and government education
- Interactive games and lessons
- Created by former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor
Library of Congress for Kids
- Primary source documents
- Historical photographs
- Educational resources on American history
Crash Course World History (YouTube)
- Free history videos covering global history
- Engaging, educational format
- Excellent supplement to textbook history
Kentucky-Specific Resources:
- Kentucky Historical Society (history.ky.gov)
- Educational resources on Kentucky history
- Primary documents and archives
- University of Kentucky Digital Collections (uky.edu)
- Kentucky history, culture, and heritage
- Academic resources
- Fort Boonesborough State Park
- Free educational resources about frontier Kentucky
- Living history programs
Free Library & Academic Resources in Kentucky
Public Library Systems
Kentucky’s public library systems offer extensive free homeschool resources:
- Digital collections: ebooks, audiobooks, videos
- Interlibrary loan: Access books from other systems statewide
- Homeschool programming: Many branches offer free homeschool days or events
- Reference help: Librarians can assist with research and resource location
- Meeting spaces: Free space for homeschool co-ops to meet
Finding your library: kentuckylibrary.org
University Resources
University of Kentucky
- Offers some free public lectures and educational content
- Digital collections on Kentucky history and culture
- Library tours and educational programs for homeschoolers
University of Louisville
- Educational outreach programs
- Digital collections
- Community engagement opportunities
Morehead State University
- Eastern Kentucky educational resources
- Public programming
Supplementary Free Resources
Writing & Composition
Hemingway Editor (hemingwayapp.com)
- Free online tool for improving writing clarity
- Shows complex sentences and passive voice
- Great for high school writing students
Grammarly (Limited free version)
- Grammar and spelling checker
- Writing suggestions
- Free basic version available
Art & Music
YouTube Educational Channels
- Art for Kids Hub (drawing and painting)
- Crash Course Art History
- Free art instruction videos
Canva Education (Free version)
- Design tools for projects
- Educational graphics and resources
Science Experiments
Exploratorium (exploratorium.edu)
- Free science activity ideas
- Experiments using household materials
- Video demonstrations
Steve Spangler Science (Limited free content)
- Free experiment videos
- Demonstrations using common items
Audiobooks & Literature
StoryCorps (storycorps.org)
- Free audio stories
- American history and culture
- Excellent listening comprehension practice
Public Radio Archives
- NPR Learning Network
- Educational podcasts
- Free audio content on diverse topics
Building a Complete Free Curriculum
A realistic free homeschool curriculum might look like:
Math: Khan Academy (video instruction) + open-source textbook + practice problems
Language Arts: Easy Peasy or Project Gutenberg literature + LibriVox audiobooks + grammar focused supplement
Science: Khan Academy science + PBS Learning Media videos + home experiments + local field trips
Social Studies: Khan Academy history + Kentucky Historical Society resources + iCivics for civics + library research
Electives: YouTube educational channels + library resources + museum visits
Cost: Approximately $0-$100/year (occasional printing or supplies)
Time required: More parental organization and material compilation than purchased curriculum; students need more independence
Hybrid Approach: Free + Minimal Cost
Many families find that combining one free structured program (Easy Peasy for core subjects) with minimal-cost supplementary materials ($200-400/year) is ideal. This gives structure without breaking the budget.
Important Considerations
Gaps to watch for:
- Most free curricula don’t emphasize Kentucky-specific content
- Supplement with local history and civics
- Self-directed programs require motivated students
- Some gaps in specialized subjects (advanced science, foreign languages)
Quality varies:
- Not all free resources are high-quality
- Test materials before committing
- Cross-reference with trusted sources
Technology requirements:
- Online curricula require reliable internet access
- Some families don’t have consistent connectivity
- Consider offline options if needed
Organization required:
- Free curriculum requires more parental assembly
- You’re essentially creating your own custom curriculum
- More planning needed upfront
Where to Start
- Download Easy Peasy and try a sample week
- Explore Khan Academy for your student’s grade level in math and science
- Visit your local library and meet the librarian for homeschool resources
- Check Kentucky Historical Society for state history content
- Create a basic scope and sequence mapping free resources to Kentucky requirements
Free doesn’t mean low-quality—it means resourceful. Kentucky families successfully homeschool on free or nearly free curricula every year.